4 September 2002
1. We, the representatives of the peoples of the world, assembled at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa from 2-4 September 2002, reaffirm our commitment to sustainable development.
2. We commit ourselves to build a humane, equitable and caring global society cognizant of the need for human dignity for all.
3. At the beginning of this Summit, the children of the world spoke to us in a simple yet clear voice that the future belongs to them, and accordingly challenged all of us to ensure that through our actions they will inherit a world free of the indignity and indecency occasioned by poverty, environmental degradation and patterns of unsustainable development.
4. As part of our response to these children, who represent our collective future, all of us, coming from every corner of the world, informed by different life experiences, are united and moved by a deeply-felt sense that we urgently need to create a new and brighter world of hope.
5. Accordingly, we assume a collective responsibility to advance and strengthen the interdependent and mutually reinforcing pillars of sustainable development – economic development, social development and environmental protection – at local, national, regional and global levels.
6. From this Continent, the Cradle of Humanity we declare, through the Plan of Implementation and this Declaration, our responsibility to one another, to the greater community of life and to our children.
7. Recognizing that humankind is at a crossroad, we have united in a common resolve to make a determined effort to respond positively to the need to produce a practical and visible plan that should bring about poverty eradication and human development.
8. Thirty years ago, in Stockholm, we agreed on the urgent need to respond to the problem of environmental deterioration. Ten years ago, at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, held in Rio de Janeiro, we agreed that the protection of the environment, and social and economic development are fundamental to sustainable development, based on the Rio Principles. To achieve such development, we adopted the global programme, Agenda 21, and the Rio Declaration, to which we reaffirm our commitment. The Rio Summit was a significant milestone that set a new agenda for sustainable development.
9. Between Rio and Johannesburg the world’s nations met in several major conferences under the guidance of the United Nations, including the Monterrey Conference on Finance for Development, as well as the Doha Ministerial Conference. These conferences defined for the world a comprehensive vision for the future of humanity.
10. At the Johannesburg Summit we achieved much in bringing together a rich tapestry of peoples and views in a constructive search for a common path, towards a world that respects and implements the vision of sustainable development. Johannesburg also confirmed that significant progress has been made towards achieving a global consensus and partnership amongst all the people of our planet.
The Challenges
we Face
11. We recognize that poverty eradication,
changing consumption and production patterns, and protecting and managing the
natural resource base for economic and social development are overarching
objectives of, and essential requirements for sustainable development.
12. The deep fault line that divides human
society between the rich and the poor and the ever-increasing gap between the
developed and developing worlds pose a major threat to global prosperity,
security and stability.
13. The global environment continues to
suffer. Loss of biodiversity continues, fish stocks continue to be depleted,
desertification claims more and more fertile land, the adverse effects of
climate change are already evident, natural disasters are more frequent and
more devastating and developing countries more vulnerable, and air, water and
marine pollution continue to rob millions of a decent life.
14. Globalization has added a new
dimension to these challenges. The rapid integration of markets, mobility of
capital and significant increases in investment flows around the world have
opened new challenges and opportunities for the pursuit of sustainable
development. But the benefits and costs of globalization are unevenly
distributed, with developing countries facing special difficulties in meeting
this challenge.
15. We risk the entrenchment of these global
disparities and unless we act in a manner that fundamentally changes their
lives, the poor of the world may lose confidence in their representatives and
the democratic systems to which we remain committed, seeing their
representatives as nothing more than sounding brass or tinkling cymbals.
Our
Commitment to Sustainable Development
16. We are determined to ensure that our rich
diversity, which is our collective strength, will be used for constructive
partnership for change and for the achievement of the common goal of
sustainable development.
17. Recognizing the importance of
building human solidarity, we urge the promotion of dialogue and cooperation
among the world’s civilizations and peoples, irrespective of race,
disabilities, religion, language, culture and tradition.
18. We welcome the Johannesburg Summit focus
on the indivisibility of human dignity and are resolved through decisions on
targets, timetables and partnerships to speedily increase access to basic
requirements such as clean water, sanitation, adequate shelter, energy, health
care, food security and the protection of bio-diversity. At the same time, we
will work together to assist one another to have access to financial resources,
benefit from the opening of markets, ensure capacity building, use modern
technology to bring about development, and make sure that there is technology
transfer, human resource development, education and training to banish forever
underdevelopment.
19. We reaffirm our pledge to place
particular focus on, and give priority attention to, the fight against the
worldwide conditions that pose severe threats to the sustainable development of
our people. Among these conditions
are: chronic hunger; malnutrition;
foreign occupation; armed conflicts; illicit drug problems; organized crime;
corruption; natural disasters; illicit arms trafficking; trafficking in
persons; terrorism; intolerance and incitement to racial, ethnic, religious and
other hatreds; xenophobia; and endemic, communicable and chronic diseases, in
particular HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis.
20. We are committed to ensure that women’s
empowerment and emancipation, and gender equality are integrated in all
activities encompassed within Agenda 21, the Millennium Development Goals and
the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation.
21. We recognize the reality that global
society has the means and is endowed with the resources to address the
challenges of poverty eradication and sustainable development confronting all
humanity. Together we will take extra steps to ensure that these available
resources are used to the benefit of humanity.
22. In this regard, to contribute to the
achievement of our development goals and targets, we urge developed countries
that have not done so to make concrete efforts towards the internationally
agreed levels of Official Development Assistance.
23. We welcome and support the emergence of
stronger regional groupings and alliances, such as the New Partnership for
Africa’s Development (NEPAD), to promote regional cooperation, improved
international co-operation and promote sustainable development.
24. We shall continue to pay special
attention to the developmental needs of Small Island Developing States and the
Least Developed Countries.
25. We reaffirm the vital role of the
indigenous peoples in sustainable development.
26. We recognize sustainable development
requires a long-term perspective and broad-based participation in policy
formulation, decision-making and implementation at all levels. As social
partners we will continue to work for stable partnerships with all major groups
respecting the independent, important roles of each of these.
27. We agree that in pursuit of their
legitimate activities the private sector, both large and small companies, have
a duty to contribute to the evolution of equitable and sustainable communities
and societies.
28. We also agree to provide assistance to
increase income generating employment opportunities, taking into account the
International Labour Organization (ILO) Declaration of Fundamental Principles
and Rights at Work.
29. We agree that there is a need for private
sector corporations to enforce corporate accountability. This should take place
within a transparent and stable regulatory environment.
30. We undertake to strengthen and improve
governance at all levels, for the effective implementation of Agenda 21, the
Millennium Development Goals and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation.
Multilateralism
is the Future
31. To achieve our goals of sustainable
development, we need more effective, democratic and accountable international
and multilateral institutions.
32. We reaffirm our commitment to the
principles and purposes of the UN Charter and international law as well as the
strengthening of multi-lateralism. We support the leadership role of the United
Nations as the most universal and representative organization in the world,
which is best placed to promote sustainable development.
33. We further commit ourselves to monitor
progress at regular intervals towards the achievement of our sustainable
development goals and objectives.
Making it
Happen!
34. We are in agreement that this must be an
inclusive process, involving all the major groups and governments that
participated in the historic Johannesburg Summit.
35. We commit ourselves to act together,
united by a common determination to save our planet, promote human development
and achieve universal prosperity and peace.
36. We commit ourselves to the Johannesburg
Plan of Implementation and to expedite the achievement of the time-bound,
socio-economic and environmental targets contained therein.
37. From the African continent, the Cradle of
Humankind, we solemnly pledge to the peoples of the world, and the generations
that will surely inherit this earth, that we are determined to ensure that our
collective hope for sustainable development is realized.
We express our deepest gratitude to the people and the Government of South Africa for their generous hospitality and excellent arrangements made for the World Summit on Sustainable Development.